Practical Tips to Reduce Sugar Intake
Reducing added sugar does not require a strict diet. It mostly requires knowing where sugar hides on food labels and making a few swaps. Here are the most effective label-reading strategies.
Learn the Sugar Aliases
Sugar appears on ingredient lists under more than 60 different names. The most common include high-fructose corn syrup, dextrose, maltose, sucrose, brown rice syrup, agave nectar, and fruit juice concentrate. When you see multiple sugar aliases in the same ingredient list, the total sugar content is likely higher than any single alias suggests.
Use the 'Added Sugars' Line
Since 2020, US nutrition labels are required to list 'Added Sugars' separately from total sugars. This is the number to watch. Naturally occurring sugars in whole fruit or plain dairy are not the same as added sugars. A product with 12g of total sugar but 0g of added sugar (like plain yogurt) is very different from one with 12g of added sugar.
Drinks Are the Biggest Source
Sweetened beverages — sodas, fruit drinks, flavored coffees, sports drinks — are the single largest source of added sugar in most diets. Switching to water, plain sparkling water, or unsweetened tea eliminates a large portion of added sugar without changing what you eat. Check labels on 'healthy' drinks like kombucha, coconut water, and vitamin waters — many contain significant added sugar.
Watch Sauces, Dressings, and Condiments
Ketchup, barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce, and many salad dressings contain surprising amounts of added sugar. A single tablespoon of ketchup can contain 4g of added sugar. Check the ingredient list and nutrition panel before buying condiments, and look for versions with no added sugar or lower sugar content.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How much added sugar is too much per day?
- The American Heart Association recommends no more than 25g (6 teaspoons) of added sugar per day for women and 36g (9 teaspoons) for men. The WHO recommends keeping added sugar below 10% of total daily energy intake, with additional benefits below 5%.
- Is natural sugar in fruit the same as added sugar?
- No. Naturally occurring sugars in whole fruit come packaged with fiber, water, vitamins, and minerals that slow absorption and provide nutritional value. Added sugars are refined and added during processing. The 'Added Sugars' line on nutrition labels distinguishes between the two.